Full Project – ASSESSMENT OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING NEEDS OF HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN NIGERIA
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of study
In-service training is defined as a program aimed to enhance and refresh the professional capabilities of employees in order to help the business accomplish its objectives. It include seminars, workshops, conferences, and internships that involve participants in hands-on work or field trips. The programme’s success is contingent upon information gathered through in-service trainings relevant to the attainment of UBE’s objectives. Administrators, too, require in-service training to effectively plan and execute school administration using the knowledge obtained during decision-making (Ezegbe, 2000). Ukeje & Ndu (1992) defined decision-making as an intentional and purposeful action taken by an individual or group to address challenges. In other words, decision-making is resolving an issue in a certain manner. Decision-making entails debates, computations, and careful reactions to the environment’s internal and external factors.
Secondary school administrators need in-service training in decision-making in order to solve problems which often arise in the course of administration of schools. Furthermore, knowledge of value judgment in decision-making will influence administrators to carry out their daily activities for the implementation of UBE programme. This statement is supported by Mgbodile (2004) defined decision-making as a process of choosing from among the alternatives, a way of providing solutions to a problem. In other words, decision-making is a problem solving instrument for the achievement of organizational goals. It is the researcher’s view that administrators may need in-service training on decision-making to ensure competency and professional growth in their perceptions, analyses and value judgments to implement UBE programme in Nigeria.
It is the belief of the researcher that the principal’s role is very crucial in the achievements of stated educational goals of the UBE. Terrell & Lindsey (2009) outline the roles of administrators to include: providing leadership for curriculum development, and instructional improvement; creating an environment conducive for the realization of human potentials, influencing the behaviours of staff members, supervising instructional activities in the school system. Citing Commonwealth Secretariat (1993) Terrell & Lindsey added the function of junior secondary school’s administrators to include management and efficient deployment of schools resources, Allocate school accommodation appropriately, ensure satisfactory standard of maintenance and cleanliness of schools facilities; organize staff development in schools, guide curriculum implementation and change professional training of secondary schools administrators; manage the development appraised system, whole school evaluation and new integrated quality management system; create professionals ethos within the school by involving staff members in decision-making, manage restructuring and redeployment of teachers.
Terrell & Lindsey (2009) contended that administrators are to demonstrate their abilities to lead through professional knowledge, organizational and administrative competence; abilities to work out a good school policy and put it into effect, skills in delegation of authority, ability to understand the professional problems of teachers, and give professional guidance; ability to establish good working relationship with staff and parents. Terrell & Lindsey (2009) listed the skills and capacities a principal is expected to master. Administrators are expected to master various aspects of strategic leadership, these include people, school, education, various aspects of management-facilities, budgeting and staffing, accountability leading to visioning cultural change, knowledge of state, national and international developments; knowledge of wider organizational and developmental issues beyond education section, capacity interpersonal and people’s skills, communication, collaboration and consultation; negotiation, persuasion, conflict management, capacity, to delegate effectively leading to multiple leadership roles, and capacity to identify skill deficiencies.
Terrell & Lindsay (2009) citing Gaynor (1994) Condy (1998) & Haliday (1999) on the in-service needs of administrators’ administrative management noted that administrators on daily basis carry out practical administration which facilitates the implementation of educational programme. As it is the policy of government, the leadership of secondary schools is usually a product of teaching force. Teachers who have spent a minimum of ten years in service are usually appointed as either administrators or vice administrators depending on the workforce and some environmental factors. Thus the years of experience remain the major yardstick for appointment into positions as administrators. Up till now the secondary school system does not take administrative qualifications and criteria into consideration for appointments into leadership positions in schools. Over the years, heads of secondary schools have been accused of various lapses and offences. They are said to be inefficient, accused of failing to provide direction and adequate leadership for their schools. The fallen standards of education in schools have also been attributed to the inefficiency of administrators. Okeze (2003) stated that all these inefficiencies, lapses and ineptitude on the part of High School administrators are often attributed to their lack of professional training as they do not posses the necessary managerial qualifications and skills needed to address schools’ challenges squarely. Citing Akpa (1990), Terrell &Lindsey (2009) noted that in Nigeria there are problems of management of staff and students liaison officers, coordination and financial management; instructional activities including curriculum development and supervision. According to them these areas are treated with less vigour. In agreement with Akpa, Chapman & Leu (2007) as quoted by Terrell & Lindsey 2009) found out that in most African countries administrators do not regard instructional supervision as part of their job. Citing Tough Togneri (2003) on in-service training, Terrell and Lindsey (2009) remarked that despite calls from various bodies and scholars for professional training of school heads, Nigeria seems not to have listened. Federal Ministry of Education as a policy maker has been using experience as a major yardstick for appointing administrators.
Ndu (1992) outlined the roles administrators to include the implementation of educational policies and programme; procurement and management of human, material and financial resources; regular supervision and instruction, overseeing laid down standards in leadership and professional improvement of staff for growth on the job; improved curriculum and good working relationships between the school and the community in which the school is set. Specifically, the administrators are expected to motivate their staff, manage to the best of their abilities finances given to them while mobilizing them to meet their daily challenges (Okezie, 2003; Shama & Sandana, (2008). noted that administrators take decisions daily that affect the lives of the children under them and the personnel they manage. These challenges secondary school’s principal’s face daily, if not properly addressed and managed, may lead to the disruption of smooth running of schools and the entire UBE programme. .
Financial management is another administrative function that may need in-service training of secondary school’s administrators. Otegbulu (2008) described financial management as one of the major functions of administration which is concerned with decisions on how to procure, expend and give accounts of funds provided for the implementation of educational programme. In agreement with these statements, Ogbonnaya (2000) conceives financial management as that activity which is concerned with the planning and controlling of an organizational resource. In other words, administrators as chief executives of schools need in-service training to gain knowledge on how to source, acquire and competently manage the schools’ financial resources available to them. This competency in financial management will help them utilize the scarce resources, source for more funds, budget, plan and account for the used funds. In this way, UBE funds entrusted into their care would be judiciously managed.
Ukeje, Akabogu, & Ndu (1992) defined in-service training as a consciously planned programme designed to improve employees’ professional growth for the achievement of organizational goals. The achievements of objectives of Universal Basic Education program are dependent upon the effective and efficient performances of High School administrators. The in-service training need of junior secondary school’s administrators would enhance the implementation of UBE programme in the South East. The administrators also need in-service training to implement UBE programme in South East Nigeria. It is believed that the longer the administrators serve the more experience they gain in administering their schools. The success of the implementation of UBE depends on the knowledge and experiences gained by the school administrators. A good number of years spent as administrators would afford them the experiences and exposure to screen, measure quality, and predict the behaviour of employee. If the objectives of UBE as earlier stated are aimed at developing citizenry for life-long learning, then it must require quality staff that has the requisite qualifications to implement the programme. These experiences are, however, expected to reflect over time through in-service training. The raining and re-training of school administrators in education programme would increase their competencies, help the administrators to consciously plan and improve their knowledge in their profession. Ali (1996), Oranu (2002), Achibong (2001) & Nwadum (2006) stated that administrators require in-service training in order to acquire the professional competencies required for excellent performance of their duties.
Experience of junior secondary school’s administrators has been used as a variable of this study. The experience of junior secondary school’s administrators is chosen to see if number of years put in the service determines the in-service needs of experienced and less experienced administrators for the implementation of UBE in the South-East Nigeria.. It is the view of this researcher that except this data is investigated, the energy and resources put in planning UBE programme would be exercises in futility.
Statement of the Problem
Investigation of in-service training needs for the implementation of UBE programme in South East of Nigeria. It has been observed that High School administrators could not identify school problems; collect data of investigation analyze data, make value judgment and set committee for decision making. In areas of financial resource management, they are deficient to plan; budget, source, audit, and account, for monies expended and keep expenditures in check. In the area of personnel management High School administrators are faced with the challenges of recruitment and selection; orientation of staff, identifying staff needs, methods of delegating responsibilities and methods of empowering staff towards development. In the area of staff motivation, High School administrators are faced with challenges of motivating their staff, in the areas of rewarding excellence, retain staff, encourage staff professional growth, provide securities and welfare services; methods of approach to government for regular payment of staff salaries and establish staff policy on the principles of justice and fair-play. It is against this background that the researcher decided to investigate the in-service training needs of High School administrators for the implementation of UBE programme in the South-East of Nigeria.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to investigate the in-service training needs of High School administrators for the management of UBE programme in South East of Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to:
- Determine the in-service training needs of experienced and less experienced administrators on decision-making for UBE programme.
- Find out the in-service training needs of experienced and less experienced administrators on financial resources management.
- Ascertain the in-service training needs of experienced and less experienced administrators on personnel resource management for the implementation of UBE
- Identify the in-service training needs of experienced and less experienced administrators on the motivation of staff for the UBE programme in South East of Nigeria.
Significance of the study
The findings of the study would have immense benefits to educational policy makers, planners and implementers of UBE programme. Firstly, the data collected would reveal the extent of in-service training needs of administrators operating UBE programme. The data would be helpful in manpower planning of educational programme. The information gathered would equip junior secondary school’s administrators through in-service training to understand government expectations as far as their administrative competencies are concerned. The result of this study would be useful to Ministries of Education in understanding the types of in service training packages needed by administrators for the UBE programme. The information would equally help in the proper assessments and supervisions of these administrators’ abilities and capabilities to implement UBE programme. Funding agencies of UBE programme would also be able to evaluate the success or failure of in-service training needs of junior secondary schools under UBE programme.
Scope of the study
This study investigated the in-service training needs of High School administrators for the implementation of Universal Basic Education Programme in South East Zone. The study focused on the in-service training needs of junior secondary school’s administrators on decision-making, financial, personnel, and motivational management. The administrators’ years of experiences were used as variables for the implementation of UBE programme, as years of experience is a yardstick to promote teachers to the rank of principal-ship in Nigerian educational system. The administrators who have served below ten years were regarded as less experienced while those ones who have served ten years and above were regarded as experienced administrators.
Research Questions
The following research questions were generated to guide the study:
- Do experienced and less experienced High School administrators needed in-service training on decision–making for the implementation of UBE programme?
- What are the in-service training needs of experienced and less experienced High School administrators on financial resource management for the implementation of UBE programme?
- Do experienced and less experienced High School administrators needed in-service training in personnel resource management for UBE programme?
- What are the in-service training needs of experienced and less experienced High School administrators on motivation of their staff for the implementation of UBE programme?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance:
Ho1 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the experienced and less experienced High School administrators in in-service training needs on decision-making for the implementation of UBE programme.
Ho2 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the experienced and less experienced High School administrators in in-service training needs on financial resource management for the implementation of UBE programme.
Ho3 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of experienced and less experienced administrators in in-service training needs on personnel resource management for the implementation of UBE programme.
Ho4 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of experienced and less experienced administrators in in-service training needs on motivation for implementation of UBE programme.
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